I need some help!! I definatel;y have ppd and to top it off it comes for me with insomnia...it's like I completely lose teh ability to fall asleep and with a 3 wk old baby and a 4yo and 8yo ds it doesn't work out very well!!!!! I am on 10mg of lexapro, which I just uped to that last week from 5 mg, but not feeling too good from it yet.
Please tell me that I am not going to die from lack of sleep, please tell me that my life is not over, that I am still a good mom that I will get through this. I can't take sleeping pills/sedatives cause I have central sleep apnea, so I feel like there is no solution, I jsut feel trapped, so trapped that I dont' know which way to turn.
Any advice/stories? Any one else suffer from insomnia when have ppd?? I so need to know that I am not teh only one who has this, people always act so surprised that I can't sleep when baby sleeps, but I can't help it!

Big hug, mama!
I've been there, and yes, I survived. In fact, I've battled insomnia all my life and for years NEVER slept more than 4 hours a night. It was brutal when DS1 was born, since I couldn't just come home from work exhausted and crash on the couch... I had to be there and be alert for the sake of my baby. I'm not sure if the PPD exacerbated the insomnia, or if the insomnia led to PPD, but I wasn't in a happy place. Not once was I able to nap with the baby (I would just lie there staring into space...) and I literally wanted to strangle every single person who said "sleep when the baby sleeps...". I never took any drugs for insomnia either... Ok, enough with the pity party, here's what helped me stay (somewhat) sane:
-plenty of fresh air. I took looooong walks every day (2-3 hours, twice a day sometimes, even in the winter). I know with more than one child, it's harder, but now I put DS1 (3) in a stroller and carry DS2 in teh Ergo, and we happily walk for hours.
-start the day fresh. When you don't sleep, it can feel like the previous day never ended. Set a time every day (6 am, say) and tell yourself it's a brand new day and you'll make it through even though you've been awake since midnight.
-lose it from time to time. I would wallow in my own misery and wail, then pick myself up and just move on. Trying to keep it together all the time made me more miserable than giving myself permission to fall to pieces sometimes.
-try homeopathic meds. I personally didn't think they'd do much, but it made me feel proactive to at least try something. And lo and behold, I did actually sleep more when I took them.
-and finally, remember that it will get better, maybe not tomorrow or even next month, but you will get over this.

Oh, and yes, you can survive on literally no sleep for long periods of time. You may very well feel like crap and not be at your best, but you'll sleep again one day.

You're not alone. I had absolutely debilitating insomnia off and on for the entire first year. In my case it turned out to be PTSD, so just be mindful that there are other possibilities than just PPD.

Once I was treated for PTSD (meds and therapy), I started sleeping again.

PP is right, it sucks and you will feel terrible--but this isn't forever; you will sleep again one day. Just try to get at the root of the problem--is it anxiety? depression? something physical (lack of exercise)?

dissertating wife of Boo, mama of one "mookie" lovin' 2 year old girl! intactlact:: CTA until 7/10 FF 1501dc

Big hug, mama!
I've been there, and yes, I survived. In fact, I've battled insomnia all my life and for years NEVER slept more than 4 hours a night. It was brutal when DS1 was born, since I couldn't just come home from work exhausted and crash on the couch... I had to be there and be alert for the sake of my baby. I'm not sure if the PPD exacerbated the insomnia, or if the insomnia led to PPD, but I wasn't in a happy place. Not once was I able to nap with the baby (I would just lie there staring into space...) and I literally wanted to strangle every single person who said "sleep when the baby sleeps...". I never took any drugs for insomnia either... Ok, enough with the pity party, here's what helped me stay (somewhat) sane:
-plenty of fresh air. I took looooong walks every day (2-3 hours, twice a day sometimes, even in the winter). I know with more than one child, it's harder, but now I put DS1 (3) in a stroller and carry DS2 in teh Ergo, and we happily walk for hours.
-start the day fresh. When you don't sleep, it can feel like the previous day never ended. Set a time every day (6 am, say) and tell yourself it's a brand new day and you'll make it through even though you've been awake since midnight.
-lose it from time to time. I would wallow in my own misery and wail, then pick myself up and just move on. Trying to keep it together all the time made me more miserable than giving myself permission to fall to pieces sometimes.
-try homeopathic meds. I personally didn't think they'd do much, but it made me feel proactive to at least try something. And lo and behold, I did actually sleep more when I took them.
-and finally, remember that it will get better, maybe not tomorrow or even next month, but you will get over this.

Oh, and yes, you can survive on literally no sleep for long periods of time. You may very well feel like crap and not be at your best, but you'll sleep again one day.

Hang in there - you are not alone!

Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!! I really needed to hear that I am not crazy, that there are other mamas out there suffering with this too. (not htat I would wish this on my worst enemy, but you know what I mean I'm sure).
Your advice is awesome adn I will keep all those things in mind, everyday! I did go through this with my 2 ds's but it seems worse this time around. Some of it I think is that I have been so attached to ds 2 that I have horrible feelings of guilt and unsettled feelings that I've moved on to a new baby and he's not the baby anymore. Thank you again!!!!!

You're not alone. I had absolutely debilitating insomnia off and on for the entire first year. In my case it turned out to be PTSD, so just be mindful that there are other possibilities than just PPD.

Once I was treated for PTSD (meds and therapy), I started sleeping again.

PP is right, it sucks and you will feel terrible--but this isn't forever; you will sleep again one day. Just try to get at the root of the problem--is it anxiety? depression? something physical (lack of exercise)?

What was teh cause of your PTSD? I've felt like that's what I could have, it feels like it with the whole falling asleep adn waking up constantly like a bomb just went off. Could it be caused from a long grueling painful labor (mine lasted 32 ours adn I was up 2 nights straight and was totally exhausted yet did it all with no pain meds of any kind).
Anyway, I am trying to be as physical as possible, but it's just been 3 wks tomorrow so I'm not even fully recovered from the birht. But I do go on walks, and do some shopping and just go anywhere really to get out of the house. However, we are in Montana and are still getting snow so it's not like I have bright sunny days to get out in yet which is not helping my depression at all.....soon hopefully it will be warmish and I can take baby out for longer periods of time...
thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really feel like a weight has been lifted knowing this can be nromal. Esp since I too have battled insomnia my whole life, so I guess it just goes with teh territory.

I didn't know you could take Lexapro while nursing? Can you?! If so you may have saved me. I'm having REALLY bad baby blues, and my husband just left for his hitch at work (he is gone for 14 days at a time so I'm essentially a single mom for half of the year). I don't mean to hijack, but I didn't know this!

~Celeste~ Loving mama to 3 of the most beautiful miracles ever created and wife to Mr. Wonderful

Yes, you can battle insomnia with PPD, and overcome both with enough time (and in my case, therapy)! It may sound small and super corny, but try to think positively about the day when you first get out of bed, instead of "Oh, god, I got no sleep, it's going to be hell!" try to think "Well, just like college term paper crunch, right? That silly happy dopey state right after you turn in a paper you stayed up all night to write... yeah, let's try for that feeling today."

And set very easy goals for yourself on hard days. Diapers must be changed, but everyone staying in pjs on a hard day is fine. Everyone must be fed, but cheese, crackers, dried fruit, and nuts can be a fine no-prep lunch if your kids are old enough for nuts. Etc. What are the minimums you need to do, meet those and count it a successful day!

I need some help!! I definatel;y have ppd and to top it off it comes for me with insomnia...it's like I completely lose teh ability to fall asleep and with a 3 wk old baby and a 4yo and 8yo ds it doesn't work out very well!!!!! I am on 10mg of lexapro, which I just uped to that last week from 5 mg, but not feeling too good from it yet.
Please tell me that I am not going to die from lack of sleep, please tell me that my life is not over, that I am still a good mom that I will get through this. I can't take sleeping pills/sedatives cause I have central sleep apnea, so I feel like there is no solution, I jsut feel trapped, so trapped that I dont' know which way to turn.
Any advice/stories? Any one else suffer from insomnia when have ppd?? I so need to know that I am not teh only one who has this, people always act so surprised that I can't sleep when baby sleeps, but I can't help it!

I am going through the exact thing right now. Are you doing any better? I would love to hear that I will go to bed happily (with anxiety attacks about sleep) again! I used to love sleep...now I dread bedtime. I don't want to do meds b/c I know I'll have trouble getting off of them... I just want to feel normal again!!

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I am doing much better! I've been going to accupuncture regularly, staying on the lexapro and I finally tried Ambien (sleeping pill considered safe for bf moms) which has worked out well; I only take a 1/4 of the dose and only when I feel I really need it. I think the biggest factor though is that I am now 8 wks postpartum and my hormones are returning to normal. I still have anxiety about going to bed, but it is SO much less then it was a few wks ago, thank goodness! Oh, and I also take hylands Calm Forte before I lay down w/dd for bed and that helps alot. The dose for insomnia is 1-3 tablets and I only take a 1/2 tablet but it really helps.

krismarie, How many wks postpartum are you? I would venture to say that you (and I) will someday enjoy sleep/bedtime again. I had this w/both of my ds's too and it does eventually go back to normal! Hang in there!!!

I didn't know you could take Lexapro while nursing? Can you?! If so you may have saved me. I'm having REALLY bad baby blues, and my husband just left for his hitch at work (he is gone for 14 days at a time so I'm essentially a single mom for half of the year). I don't mean to hijack, but I didn't know this!

It is used (as well as other ssri's) if the benefits outweigh the risks. In my case I was close to non functioning so it was an easy desicion. My dr feels that even though dd gets some of the meds thru breastmilk, the benefits of bfing are still great enough to continue bfing...
Hope this helps!!!!

thanks so much for the update. i'm happy to hear you are doing so much better! it seems like we are really going through very similar things! i also am on lexapro and feel like it's really started working the last few days...my sleep has been much more "normal". i am only 2+ weeks pp...this time was just so much worse than previous pp anxiety/insomnia. i think i'll give calms forte a try too.
thanks again for the update!

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